Rail-joint.



nutren s'rarjnsrarnnr carrer..

FRANK STELZIG, OF SCHULENBERG, TEXAS.

RAIL-JOINT.

Application filed January 27, 1913.

To all whom it may conce/rn 3e it known that I, FRANK STEM/iro, acitizen of the United States, residing at Schulenbcrg, in the county ofFayette and f State of Texas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rail-Joints, of which the following` a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail joints.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed, designed to be used to secure together the abutting ends ofthe rails of a railway, and is intended to take the place of the fishplates now in common use.

By the use of this improved device all bolts and nuts are eliminated,and loose joints, caused by the loosening of the nuts commonly used,thus obviated.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction and ar rangements ofparts, an example of which is given in this specification andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is asectional end view of the device. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof securedto the rails. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device secured to therails. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the base of the device and the partsfixed thereto. Fig. 5 is a sectional end view thereof. Fig. 6 is asectional end view of the wedge member, and Fig. 7 is a fragmentarysectional side elevation of the device showing the means for locking thewedge member in place.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate similar parts in each of the drawings, the numerals1, 1, 1` designate the railway ties supporting the joint, and thenumerals 2, 2 designate the rails whose abut-- ting edges are securedtogether by my improved device.

The numeral 3 designates a flat plate of some suitable metal, such assteel, which is of a length sufficient to rest upon three ties and theties underneath the plate are notched down so that the top of said platewill be flush with the top of the ties. The abutting ends of the rails2, 2 rest upon this plate. Integral with the plate 3, and extending fromend to end thereof along one side of the plate is a brace 4t whose innerside has an undercut groove 5 so shaped as to receive one side 6 of therail base Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1913.

Serial No. 744,305.

which fits snugly therein. The portion 7 of the brace 3 overhangs thegroove 5 and fits closely against the rail web 8 and abuts against theunderside of the rail tread 9.

On the opposite side of the plate 8 is a lengthwise shoulder 10 integralwith the plate and spaced some distance out from the side 11 of the railbase. The inner side of the shoulder is inclined so that the groove,between the same and the outer edge of the side 11 of the rail base,widens downwardly, and it is to be observed that this groove graduallywidens from one end to the other. A wedge shaped member 12 is provided,which in cross section is shaped like the portion 7 of the brace 4, andwhose base is designed to dove tail in between the side 11 of the railbase and the shoulder 10. This member is inserted into said groove fromthe wide end of the groove and wedges in between the rail base andshoulder 10. The overhanging portion tits closely against thc facingside of the web 8 of the rail and abuts closely up under thecorresponding side of the tread 9.

Secured to the member 12 underneath the wide end thereof and restingagainst the underside thereof is a iiexible tongue 13. whose free endprojects out from the end of said member and curves downwardly andengages behind one of the teeth of the rack 14, which is formed in theupper face of the plate 3, beneath the member 12. This tongue holds saidmember 12 against displacement.

In assembling the joint the abutting ends of the rails 2. 2, are placedon the plate 3 so that the orifices 15, 15, through the webs thereof,will aline with the outwardly projecting pins 16, 16 extending from theinner face of the portion 7, and said pins are then made to projectthrough said orifices. The member 12 is then wedged into position andsecured at the desired point by means of tongue 13. A strong, securejoint is thus formed without bolts or nuts, or other supports liable tobecome loose. sired to take the joint apart the tongue 13 may benormally released from the rack 14, and the member 12 removed, and thejoint may then be easily taken apart.

The plate 3 should be spiked to the ties or secured in any other desiredmanner.

A device of the character described will be found to be easilyconstructed simple, and easily operated, and will, when of the propermaterial, make the rail oint stronger than the main body of the rail,and will be comparatively inexpensive to construct.

lV hat I claim is 1. A device of the character described including abase plate, a brace integral with said plate and extending lengthwisethereof and having an undercut groove provided to receive one side of arailway rail base, the upper part ot said brace overhanging said grooveand abutting against the rail web, and underneath the rail tread on oneside, an oblong shoulder integral with said plate and arranged on theopposite side of the rail and spaced a distance therefrom, forming atapered dove-tailed groove between said rail and shoulder, a wedgeshaped member wedging between said shoulder and rail, the upper portionof said member overhanging the rail base and abutting against the railweb and under the tread of the rail, a rack carried by the upper side ofthe plate, and a llexible tongue secured to the underside of the wedgeshaped member' and against which said member presses, the free end ofthe tongue curving downwardly and engaging with the rack and holdingsaid member in position.

2. A device of the character described including a base, a lengthwisebrace extending along one side thereof and integral therewith and havingan undercut groove to receive the base of the abutting ends of therailway rails, the upper part of said brace over-hanging the groove andabutting against the rail webs, pins projecting from said overhangingportion and projecting through corresponding orifices in the webs ofsaid rail ends, an oblong shoulder integral with the base on the otherside of the rail and spaced a distance from the rail and forming atapered dove-tailed groove between said rail and shoulder, a wedgeshaped member wedging between. said shoulder and rail, the upper portionof said member overhanging the base ot said rail ends and abuttingagainst the rail lwebs and under the treads of the rail ends, a rackcarried by the upper side of the plate and underneath the wedge shapedmember, and a iexible tongue secured at one end to the underside of thewedge shaped member and having its free end downwardly curved, saidwedge shaped member pressing against said tongue and holding the curvedend thereof in engagement with said rac.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a baseplate, a brace integral with said plate and extending lengthwise thereofand having an undercut groove provided to receive one side ot a railwayrail base, the upper side oi said brace overhanging said groove andabutting against the rail web and underneath the rail tread on one side,an oblong Shoulder integal with said plate and arranged on the oppositeside of the rail and spaced a distance therefrom, forming a tapereddovetailed groove between said rail and shoulder, of a wedge shapedmember between said shoulder and rail, the upper portion of said memberoverhanging the rail base and abutting against the rail web and underthe tread of the rail, a rack carried by the upper side of the baseplate and a flexible tongue secured to the underside of the wedge shapedmember and against which said member presses, the free end of the saidtongue curving` downwardly and engaging with the rack and holding thesaid wedge shaped member in position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRA NK QTELZ 1G.

FRED EBELING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

